LocalEatsJapan

Ikedaya is one of the top jiro-kei ramen restaurants in Tokyo, and even though their main location is in Kyoto (under the same name), I would argue that the Tokyo one is more popular. 

If you want to know what jiro-kei ramen is more in depth than I suggest reading this blog post by me: https://localeatsjapan.com/2025/12/19/buta-yama-the-best-beginner-jiro-kei-ramen-in-japan/

But in short, they are known for their outrageous toppings and volume of food they serve – Ikedaya is no different, but it is a lot more manageable than other places I must say, and this also goes for the ease of ordering. 

When I went for the first time it was on a weekend I believe and so the lineup outside the shop was about 30 people deep, but like most ramen restaurants in Japan, there is a really fast turnover speed so I would say I waited no more than 30 minutes (maybe a little more). 

When you are lining up you may see people in front of you go into the shop to get their food ticket from the ticket machine, so when the people in front of you come back that is your queue to go in and get yours before getting back in line. This makes it seamless for when you are seated in the shop and hand your ticket over to the staff. 

Note that there is only 1 thing on the menu, and it is, you guessed it, ramen. But there are no size options of anything, this is what makes it a bit confusing but also simple to order. 

When you are seated at one of the 10 ish counter seats the shop has, you will eventually be asked by one of the staff にんにく入れますか (do you want garlic) or something along these lines. What this means is the chance for you to tell the staff of your preferences for sizing, amount of bean sprouts you want on top of your bowl etc. 

Now, do note that this interaction is likely going to be in Japanese, so it can make it quite difficult to know what is going on depending on your language ability. 

But if it makes you feel any better, a lot of Japanese people don’t even know what to do when they get in and are asked these questions because jiro-kei ramen shops are very “unique” when it comes to how you order. 

If you don’t feel comfortable I would just say 全部普通 (zenbu futsuu) which means everything normal portion size. 

If you want more info on this before you go I would recommend reading an article or watching a youtube video because there are a lot out there that go into this! 

As for the bowl though, it was incredible, and this is coming from someone who isn’t even the biggest fan of this type of ramen. 

The size was perfect, and I didn’t have to struggle to finish off the last bites like I have in the past – it was enjoyable from start to finish. 

The beansprouts on top were seasoned nicely and added a nice crunch/freshness to the bowl. 

The noodles are thick and soak up the soup excellently. I also always get a raw egg on the side of my jiro-kei and dip the noodles in it – this is a really popular thing to do for fans of this ramen (do not worry about salmonella, Japan’s eggs are safe – trust me!)

But the star of this bowl was undoubtedly the chasu pork. It was incredibly tender despite the thick size of it and was seasoned to perfection. 

This is actually some of the best chashu I have ever had. I would even say to go just to try this alone! 

Overall this is an excellent bowl of jiro-kei ramen and is on the easy side when it comes to ordering so I would highly recommend it for someone that wants to try it for the first time (or those that are veterans)! 

The staff were also very nice so this is a plus too!

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More about me

Different types of ordering systems in Japan explained

Purchasing an onigiri to keep me fuelled throughout my journey 🍙